Established 1961 15 Sports Tuesday, December 12, 2017 Suarez, Messi maintain Barca’s La Liga lead by five points Real Madrid are eight points back in fourth MADRID: Barcelona restored their lead at the top of Messi for a cushioned effort that drifted inches wide. La Liga to five points as Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi Villarreal had to survive the final half hour a man struck in the final 20 minutes to edge out 10-man light when Raba was dismissed for connecting with his Villarreal 2-0 on Sunday. Daniel Raba’s red card on the studs on Busquets’ ankle as the Spanish international hour mark for a wild lunge on Sergio Busquets handed cleared. Another Alba cross was turned onto the post Barca the initiative. by Suarez on the stretch. However, the Uruguayan And their pressure told when Suarez rounded off a finally broke Villarreal’s resistance after exchanging a fine team move before Messi blasted home a second to neat one-two with Alcacer to round Asenjo and net his get the Catalans back to winning ways after successive seventh goal of the season. And Messi secured all three draws with Valencia and Celta Vigo in La Liga. Valencia points seven minutes from time as he was played in by remain Barca’s closest challengers five points back, but Busquets to smash past the helpless Asenjo. Atletico Madrid also maintained their title ATLETICO BOUNCE charge with a 1-0 win at BACK Real Betis to stay six Betis posed Earlier, Atletico points off the top. bounced back from the Real Madrid are eight more of a disappointment of being points back in fourth and dumped out of the Barca will have the goal threat Champions League in chance to go into El midweek to keep their Clasico away at Real in title challenge afloat at two weeks’ time with an Betis. The hosts domi- 11-point lead over their nated possession rivals. Barca host throughout but were Deportivo la Coruna next made to pay for their weekend, whilst Madrid are in action at the Club World lack of cutting edge, as well as some fine goalkeeping Cup in Abu Dhabi. Gerard Pique nearly gave Barca the by Jan Oblak. By contrast, Atletico were clinical even in perfect start at the Ceramic Stadium, where they have the absence of the injured Antoine Griezmann as Saul struggled in recent seasons, as his header came back Niguez slid in at the back post to turn home Sime off the crossbar from Messi’s corner just four minutes Vrsaljko’s cross with their first serious attack on the in. However, Barca dominance of possession was largely half-hour mark. VILAREAL: Villarreal’s midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez (L) vies with Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi stale before the break as Villarreal posed the greater “They played some spectacular football today, but during the Spanish league football match between Villarreal CF and FC Barcelona at La Ceramica stadium in threat on the counter-attack. Nicola Sansone had the we took advantage of the chance we had,” Atletico Vila-real. — AFP hosts’ best effort that forced Marc-Andre ter Stegen midfielder Koke told BeIN Sports Spain. Betis posed into a stunning one-handed stop high to his left. more of a goal threat after the break but were denied Messi orchestrated the visitors’ attacking threat by Oblak, who produced a wonder save to turn Cristian very strong defensively,” said Atletico boss Diego moved off the foot of the table with a 2-0 victory at after the break as he constantly freed Jordi Alba down Tello’s sweetly struck half-volley behind for a corner. Simeone. At the other end of the table, Malaga and Real Sociedad. Athletic, meanwhile, bagged their first Barca’s left. Paco Alcacer was denied by Sergio Asenjo “One team had the ball, which was Betis, and they tried Athletic Bilbao secured big away wins to ease their rel- league win in nearly two months 2-1 at Levante to move from Alba’s low cross before the left-back teed up many different ways to damage us, but the team was egation fears. Malaga remain in the drop zone but up to 13th. — AFP Goal hero Giroud Arsenal’s Europa not for sale, League hopes to be says Wenger tested by SOUTHAMPTON: Arsene Wenger insists Olivier Giroud Swedish minnows will not leave Arsenal in January despite the France strik- er’s lack of starting opportunities. Giroud has yet to start a NYON: Arsenal’s hopes of Europa League glory will be Premier League game this season, but he showed his value tested in the last 32 by Swedish minnows Ostersunds, iron- coming off the bench when he headed a late equaliser to ically coached by the only English manager left in secure a 1-1 draw at Southampton on Sunday. European competition and founded in the same month It was his fourth league goal in 13 substitute appear- Arsene Wenger took over the Gunners. ances and while Giroud may be growing frustrated at his In the draw made yesterday, the Gunners were pitched lack of starts, Wenger is determined to hold on to the play- against the central Swedish club coached by Graham er when the transfer window opens. Potter, who played for Southampton in the Premier League “Why should we lose an important player?” said the as part of a long career that saw him win one under-21 Arsenal manager of a striker who was close to joining England cap and make 307 Football League appearances. Everton at the end of the last transfer window. “It’s up to Now 42, Potter led Ostersunds-created in October us.” Wenger added: “Yes he will start games. It’s always 1996 when three local clubs (Ope IF, IFK Ostersund, the same, when you have many good players, some of them Ostersund/Torvalla FF) merged-to the Swedish Cup last cannot play. “The question you get is always why does a season, having taken the side from the Swedish fourth guy who is good not play? Because if you take him on, you division to the top flight in six seasons. have another guy who is good who will not play. It is as Far from being intimidated, Ostersunds seemed ecstatic simple as that. “He will start games because we play every with the draw, their English manager freely admitting his three days. He is mentally very strong and we have to be outfit would not be favourites against Wenger’s Arsenal, grateful to a player who comes on when he is needed. It is currently sitting fifth in the Premier League. a remarkable achievement.” Giroud’s goal, which cancelled “I think it’s really cool to go home to England and meet out Charlie Austin’s third minute opener, was the 17th time one of the best teams in the Premier League,” said Potter, the France international has scored from the bench, six who first signed for Ostersunds in 2010. “Now we are real- behind Jermain Defoe in the Premier League all-time list SOUTHAMPTON: Arsenal’s French striker Olivier Giroud celebrates scoring the team’s first goal during the ly underdogs,” he added in a report in Swedish on the and alongside Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Kanu. “I always English Premier League football match between Southampton and Arsenal at St Mary’s Stadium in club’s website. The club, who claimed a shock win over try to bring something for the team when I come on the Southampton, southern England. — AFP Galatasaray in the second qualifying round and then fin- pitch,” Giroud said. “Today we missed players in the box ished second in a group featuring Athletic Bilbao and so I tried to bring it. It was a good cross from Alexis. “I Hertha Berlin after only losing one game, reported that tried to be at the right place at the right time. It is nice to problem, because you create even a bigger one. “We to the referees to act. The answer is in the authority of the Potter looked delighted as he and the club chairman come back.” The point meant Wenger’s side remain out- played a big part of the game with a back-four today. But referee. They have it in their power.” realised who they had been drawn against. side the top four and the manager admitted his players away from home recently we had done quite well, we’ve Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino believes his “Jubilation in Ostersund, OFK meet Arsenal in the next were still feeling the effects of last weekend’s home defeat won games. “Today we played a team who was highly side’s performance confirms they are moving in the right round,” the club said on Twitter. Meanwhile, Brendan of Manchester United when they were caught cold by determined, defended every single ball. direction. “When you play against Arsenal who one of the Rodgers’ Celtic face Roberto Mancini’s ambitious Zenit St Austin’s early finish. “I must say I’m frustrated because in the second half biggest teams in the Premier League you have to be close Petersburg, who beat Rangers in the 2008 UEFA Cup final. “I felt that the Man United game played a bit of a part there was a lot of time-wasting, especially on the final ball. to excellent to win this game. I feel we are growing,” he “It’s never easy playing in Russia,” Celtic’s Olivier Ntcham in the heads of our defenders,” he said. “It was a bit in “The waste of time is becoming a real problem in England said.